Mini Impatiens plant named ‘Immichero’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of mini  Impatiens  plant characterized by its small carmine red flowers, freely flowering habit, dark green foliage, and bushy shaped growth habit with excellent basal branching.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Impatienswalleriana.

Varietal denomination: ‘Immichero’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct mini Impatiens plantbotanically known as Impatiens walleriana and referred to by thecultivar name ‘Immichero.’

The new cultivar was developed in a controlled breeding program in BeitDagan, Israel. The new mini Impatiens cultivar is characterized by smallcarmine red flowers, freely flowering habit, dark green foliage, andbush shaped growth habit with excellent basal branching.

The new cultivar is propagated from cuttings resulting from the cross inMarch 1998 of the proprietary mini Impatiens selection identified as‘FRA 200’ as female parent and the proprietary mini Impatiens selectionidentified as ‘BGA 201’ as male parent. ‘FRA 200’ is not commerciallyavailable and has not been patented. ‘BGA 201’ is not commerciallyavailable and has not been patented.

As a result of this cross the present cultivar was selected in February1999 in Beit Dagan, Israel and has been repeatedly asexually reproducedby cuttings over a period of several years. The distinctivecharacteristics of this new mini Impatiens are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction. It takes6 to 8 weeks to produce a finished plant, starting from a rooted plugand planted in a 10 cm pot, depending on the temperature.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Immichero.’ These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Immichero’ as a new and distinct mini Impatienscultivar:

-   -   1. Small, carmine red flowers    -   2. Bushy shaped growth habit with many flowers on top of the        foliage    -   3. Dark green foliage    -   4. Excellent basal branching

Plants of the new mini Impatiens differ primarily from the plants of thefemale parent selection in the following characteristics:

Plants of the new mini Impatiens have small carmine red flowers, whereasthe plants of the female have small lilac flowers.

Plants of the new mini Impatiens differ primarily from the plants of themale parent selection in the following characteristics:

Plants of the mini Impatiens have small carmine red flowers, whereas theplants of the male have larger, mid purple flowers.

Plants of the new mini Impatiens can be compared to plants of‘Danchesal,’ disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,741. In side-by-sidecomparisons in Enkhuizen, Netherlands, the plants of the new miniImpatiens differed from plants of the cultivar ‘Danchesal’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new mini Impatiens have dark green leaves,        whereas plants of the cultivar ‘Danchesal’ have green leaves    -   2. Plants of the new mini Impatiens have carmine red flowers of        about 2.5 cm, whereas the cultivar ‘Danchesal’ has salmon rose        flowers of about 3 cm.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

This new mini Impatiens plant is illustrated by the accompanyingphotographic drawing which shows blooms, buds and foliage of the plantin full color, the color showing being as true as can be reasonablyobtained by conventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of this new mini Impatiens. The data which defines thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inEnkhuizen, Netherlands. The plant history was taken on 20 week oldplants, blossomed under natural light in the field.

Color readings were taken in the laboratory under ambient light. Colorreferences are primarily to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society of London.

-   The plant:    -   -   Classification.—Botanical: Impatiens walleriana.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Impatiens walleriana selection            identified as code number ‘FRA 200,’ not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary Impatiens walleriana selection            identified as code number ‘BGA 201,’ not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10-21 days at 22-23 degrees C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About 28 days at 16-24            degrees C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, and white in color.-   Plant description:    -   -   General appearance.—Compact, upright, outwardly spreading            and mounded plant habit.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous and freely branching            growth habit lateral branches potentially forming at every            node, dense and bushy shaped growth habit. Pinching enhances            branching.        -   Plant height.—About 18 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 37 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 12 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 8 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 7-25 mm.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—From the bottom RHS 58A Red-purple til top 146B            Yellow-green.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Slightly crenate with minute ciliation.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded foliage, Upper surface:            RHS 137B Green. Developing and fully expanded foliage, Lower            surface: RHS 138B Green with anthocyanic spots RHS 60B.        -   Venation, upper and lower surfaces.—RHS 148A Yellow-green.-   Petiole:    -   -   Length.—About 1.3 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—RHS 148C Yellow-green.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Numerous small single flowers.        -   Flowers arise from leaf axils.—Freely flowering, usually            about 25 flowers and flower buds per lateral branch.        -   Flower position.—Above the foliage and typically face            upright or outward.        -   Flowers lasting.—About 5-7 days on the plant under            greenhouse conditions.        -   Flowers.—Persistent and not fragrant.        -   Flowering season.—Continuous through the spring and summer.        -   Height.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Depth.—About 7 mm.-   Flower buds:    -   -   Length.—About 7 mm.        -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.        -   Shape.—Ovoid.        -   Color.—RHS 138B Green with 61B Red-purple.-   Petals:    -   -   Quantity/arrangement.—Five per flower in a single whorl.        -   Length, banner petal.—About 1 cm.        -   Length, lateral petals.—About 1.1 cm.        -   Length, basal petals.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Width, banner petal.—About 1 cm.        -   Width, lateral petals.—About 8 mm.        -   Width, basal petals.—About 8 mm.        -   Shape.—Obovate to ovate.        -   Apex.—Rounded or slightly emarginate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Petal color.—Upper surface: When opening: RHS 53C Red. Lower            surface: When opening: RHS 53D Red. Fully opened, banner            petal, upper surface: RHS 53C Red. Fully opened, lateral            petals, upper surface: RHS 53C Red. Fully opened, basal            petals, upper surface: RHS 53C Red. Fully opened, lower            surface: RHS 53D Red.-   Sepals:    -   -   Quantity/arrangement.—Five in a single whorl, one modified            into an elongated spur.        -   Sepal length.—About 3 mm.        -   Sepal diameter.—About 1 mm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color, upper and lower surfaces.—RHS 148C Yellow-green.        -   Spur length.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Spur diameter.—At flower, about 5 mm, at apex, less than 1            mm.        -   Spur color.—RHS 54C Red at flower, at apex RHS 53C Red.-   Peduncles:    -   -   Length.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1 mm.        -   Angle.—About 45° from vertical.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—RHS 148C Yellow-green.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—        -   Quantity.—Five fused around stigma.        -   Anther length.—About 2 mm.        -   Anther color.—RHS 64B Red-purple.        -   Pollen amount.—None observed.        -   Pistils — Quantity per flower.—One.        -   Pistil length.—About 3 mm.        -   Stigma shape.—Rounded.        -   Stigma color.—RHS 64B Red-purple.        -   Style color.—RHS 139A Green.        -   Ovary color.—RHS 139A Green.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Impatiens.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of mini Impatiens plant named‘Immichero’, as substantially illustrated and described herein.